JP 5050346A discloses a machine for the separative machining of plate-shaped workpieces by means of a laser beam, in the form of a combined laser and punch machine. In a machine of this type, having hybrid motion control in which the workpiece is moved in a first direction (direction X), and the machining head is moved in a second direction (direction Y) the workpiece bearing is discontinuous in the displacement range of the machining head to avoid damage by the processing beam. A gap in the direction Y thus extends in the workpiece bearing, between two workpiece-bearing faces or workpiece bearings, respectively. The processing beam that has passed through the workpiece and any slag and cutting waste that may arise are expelled through this gap. The processing beam may be a laser beam, but the use of another type of high power beam, for example in the form of a plasma arc, or of a water jet, is also possible.
Particularly in the case of such a (laser) processing machine having an additional axis for moving the machining head in the direction X, it is advantageous for the gap in the workpiece bearing to have a minimum width which corresponds to at least the displacement range of the machining head in the direction X. By means of the additional axis the machining head may be displaced with a high level of dynamics within the gap. Moreover, a wide gap allows small to medium-size cutting waste, waste grate parts, or comparatively small workpiece parts, which may be separated from one another and from the slag for example with the aid of parts chutes, to fall freely. In this way small parts may be removed from the cutting region in a significantly more rapid manner than by way of the pivoting movement of a discharge flap provided for this purpose.
However, a large gap width may also have a negative effect when cutting off comparatively small workpiece parts, since small workpiece parts are not adequately supported in the gap region and by virtue of the high gas pressure of the cutting gas which exits from the processing nozzle on the machining head and impacts the cut off workpiece parts, the small workpiece parts can potentially tilt in the gap and in some instances potentially catch on the residual workpiece.
A laser and punch machine in which the workpiece is moved in the direction X and a punching die and blanking die are conjointly moved in the direction Y is known from JP2000246564 A2. For this purpose, the punching die and the blanking die by way of lever arms and universal joints are mechanically intercoupled and coupled to a common drive.
JP2030332 A1 describes a machine for thermal cutting and punching of workpieces, wherein a laser cutting-head is displaced in direction X and direction Y by means of two driven slides. The machine has a workpiece receptacle which is displaceable in direction Y synchronously to the laser cutting-head.